It was a little… disconcerting.
Not to mention annoying. They’d made promises. One night only. Never to be spoken of again. Or referenced in any way, either by word or innuendo. And Brandth was a man of honour.
“You know, I don’t think I’d ever come across a more beautiful creature than Perri Gloomenthrall. She was a pretty child. But some time around fifteen she just blossomed, like a fire flower bursting into life.”
Brandth fought not to stiffen as Regal Soutner slid into the empty chair on his right.
“It wasn’t until after our marriage that I realised how… fragile she was in nature.”
Fragile? Perri? His waspish sweet harridan? “Oh?” Neither agreeing or disagreeing, but it appeared enough of a response for Regal to carry on.
“Perhaps if she hadn’t had a child so young. Or if I hadn’t been so very busy. If only I’d been able to spend more time with her, reassure her, she would have…” Regal petered off leadingly. Here was where Brandth was supposed to pick up the bait Regal was throwing out, but he wasn’t one so easily led.
“Hold on, weren’t you like sixth or eighth in line to inherit the barony? Living in a castle? Surrounded by fawning servants? What was keeping you so busy? Did you have some form of employment?”
“Of course not.” Even the idea of it clearly appalled Regal.
“Then what was keeping you too busy to spend time with your young wife and your newly arrived child? I know many a lower heir on the rung who took themselves off to university to become educated, or struck out on their own to start a business and go on to master an empire. Were you one of those noble fellows?”
“No.” Regal paused, taking a deep breath, realising he’d just backed himself into a corner and declared he wasn’t of noble valour. His smile flickering for a just a split second in annoyance before it was back twice as bright. “The Soutners have always had vast business interests. I was busy observing my father manage them, so I might one day share some of the burden.”
“Okay, so you were very busy sitting around… watching your father, and meanwhile your young wife….?”
“Was sinking deeper and deeper into depression. Begging me each morning not to leave her side. To spend my day with her and the child instead.”
“Which unfortunately you couldn’t do, you had all that… watching to do.”
“We drifted apart… I blame myself…” Regal paused for dramatic effect, and this was probably the moment a sympathetic lady listening to his story would disagree heartily and bolster his ego.
“Yes, I can see why you would.”
“Um… and as time went by, Perri only grew worse. Clingy. Using the child as a weapon to trap me into spending more time with her. I tried to help, but then she manufactured such a dramatic scene one day that her behaviour could no longer be over looked.”
“Are… are you referencing the day several of your brothers died or were grievously injured, along with your child?” By the nine circles, was the man really going to twist the tale so baldly, or in Regal’s mind, was that how he’d rearranged things so he would be both the victim and the hero?
“The day the sun turned black and the ground beneath my feet became a river of blood.”
“The scene you fled at the first opportunity.”
“My priority was getting my son to safety. I intended to send help back.”
“And what of your wife? Lying there hurt and bleeding on the ground?”
“Gods, man. There was no way my horse could carry the boy and her. I had to make an impossible choice. And… the Deities forgive me, I thought her dead. I thought them all dead.”
“Did you search for her? Send a message to Gloomenthrall to enquire after her?”
“It was an extraordinarily busy time. One brother missing, one dead, several others teetering on the cusp. My heir hurt. I barely had time to pack, let alone track down a missing dead wife.”
“Pack?”
“My father. The incident brought home to him that life is extremely fragile and that he wouldn’t live forever. His legacy, his dynasty, it all came into sharp focus for him. So he tasked me with travelling the Realms, to seek out new business opportunities for the Soutner Empire.”
Hah, the man had certainly devised an interesting spin on being banished. The former Baron had probably realised his - and his immediate remaining heirs - days were numbered if he kept Regal close. And perhaps Regal had done Perri a favour by never following up and allowing her to cut all ties to the Soutners. But still, Brandth had to ask. “And your wife?”
“Until a few days ago, I thought her dead.”
No, Regal had just hoped she was or hadn’t cared. Out of mind, out of sight, Brandth presumed.
